Chapter 14
Truly," said the marionette to himself, starting again on his way, "how unfortunate we poor boys are! Everybody scolds us, everybody warns us, and everybody gives us advice. Why, everybody takes it upon himself to be our Papa and Masters; even the Talking Cricket. Here am I; and because I would not pay attention to that tiresome Talking Cricket, he said that many things would happen to me! I should also meet assassins! I have never believed in assassins. I think that assassins have been invented by Papas on purpose to make their boys afraid to go out at night. And then, if I should meet them on the road, they would probably tell me my way. Why, I am not afraid. I would go to them and say, right to their faces, 'Mr. Assassins, what do you want of me? Do not think that you can fool with me. Go away then about your own business, quick!' At such talk the poor assassins; I can see them now; would run away like the wind. In case they might be clever enough not to run away, why then I would; and thus the thing would end."
"說真格的，"小木偶一邊再次啟程，一邊自言自語，"我們這些可伶的孩子還真是命苦啊。人人都來責罵我們，人人都來警告我們，人人都來給我們忠告。要是我們允許的話，每個人都恨不得想來做我們的爸爸和導師；就連會說話的蟋蟀都不放過我們。就拿我來說吧，只因為我不聽那個煩得要死的蛐蛐兒的話，誰知道前頭還可能有多少不幸在等著我啊！還刺客呢！至少我是從來不信有刺客這回事的，我也永遠不會相信的。理智地講，我認為刺客這東西，就是那些父母為了嚇唬想夜裡出門的孩子們而編造出來的。再說了，就算我這路上遇見幾個刺客了，又怎麼樣？說不定他們還會告訴我怎麼走。哎呀，我才不怕呢。我會衝到他們跟前說：'呵呵，先生們，你們想怎樣？要記住，你們可騙不了我！趕緊滾蛋去幹你們的事兒吧。'我都快想象得出，那些倒黴蛋們聽見我這番話，是怎麼樣跟一陣風似的跑掉的。不過萬一他們不跑，我開溜就是了，這事不就解決了嗎。"
But Pinocchio was not able to finish his reasoning, because at that moment he thought he heard a rustling in the leaves behind him. He turned to look and saw in the dark two coal sacks covering two figures which ran toward him on the tips of their toes like ghosts.
匹諾曹還沒來得及把他那長篇大論說完，因為在那一刻，他好像聽到身後傳來一陣樹葉沙沙作響的聲音。他轉過頭去一看，天哪！黑暗之中站著兩個高大的黑影，從頭到腳包裹在黑色的麻袋裡，他們踮著腳尖像幽靈一樣向他跑來。
"Here they are, truly!" said Pinocchio to himself. Not knowing what to do with the four gold pieces, he put them into his mouth and under his tongue. Then he tried to run away. But he had hardly started when his arms were seized and he heard two hollow voices say to him, "Your money or your life!"
"還真有刺客啊!"匹諾曹暗暗地想。他不知道把這四個金幣藏在哪兒，情急之下把它們塞進嘴裡和壓舌頭下面。接著他想開溜。但是他還沒來得及邁開步子，就感覺他的胳膊被人抓住了，聽到兩個幽靈樣的聲音對他說:"要錢還是要命!"
Not being able to reply on account of the money in his mouth, Pinocchio made many bows and gestures in order to make his captors understand that he was a poor marionette and that he did not have a cent in his pockets.
匹諾曹嘴裡含著金幣根本不敢說話，他只好使出渾身解數，又是點頭又是做手勢，想跟他們說明自己只不過是一個身無分文的可憐小木偶罷了。
"Come on and stop fooling! Out with it!" the brigands cried. And the marionette made signs with his hands and head, which meant, "I have none !"
"行了行了，少胡來了，把你的錢交出來！"兩個強盜喊道。小木偶頭手並用做著手勢，表明他一分錢也沒有。
"Bring out the money or you will die!" said the taller assassin.
"把錢交出來，否則你就死定了！"那個高個子說。
"You will die," repeated the smaller one.
"死定了！"另一個小個子強調。
"And after you are dead we will kill your Papa."
"而且殺了你之後，我們還會殺掉你家那個老頭子。"
"We will kill your Papa," repeated the other.
"還會殺掉老頭子！"
"No, no, no! Not my poor Papa!" cried Pinocchio, despairingly; but in saying this the gold pieces made a noise in his mouth.
"不不不，不要殺掉我老爸！"匹諾曹絕望地喊道。可他這麼一尖叫，四個金幣就在他嘴裡丁零當啷響。
"Oh, you storyteller! you have hidden the money in your mouth! Out with it!"
Poor Pinocchio remained quiet.
"哈！給我來這招啊！你把錢都藏在舌頭底下了。吐出來！"
可憐的匹諾曹仍然保持沉默。
"Ah! do you make believe you are deaf? Wait a little and we will show you how we shall make you give up the gold."
"你聾了是不是？行，小夥子你等著，咱們這就給你取出來！"
Then they began to handle the marionette very roughly, but Pinocchio managed to liberate himself from their hands. Jumping a hedge that bordered the road, he began to run across the fields with the assassins after him, like two dogs after a rabbit.
然後他們開始粗暴地擺弄木偶，但匹諾曹設法從他們手中掙脫了出來。他跳過路邊的樹籬，穿過田野，刺客就在後面追，就像兩隻狗在追兔子一樣。
After a run of fifteen miles Pinocchio could go no farther. Fearing that he was lost, he climbed to the top of a large pine tree and sat on one of the branches. The assassins also tried to climb; but when they got halfway up they slipped and fell to the ground, rubbing the skin off their legs and hands as they dropped.
匹諾曹一口氣跑了十五英里，再也走不動了。由於害怕迷路，他索性爬到一棵大松樹上面，坐在一根樹枝上。刺客們也想爬上去;但是當他們爬到一半的時候，打了一個滑，哧溜，摔倒在地了，把腿上和手上的皮給磨破了。
However, they did not consider themselves conquered. On the contrary, they collected a bundle of sticks, and placing them around the tree, set fire to them. In less time than it takes to tell it, the pine tree took fire and blazed like a candle blown by the wind. Pinocchio, seeing that the flames mounted higher and higher, and not wishing to be roasted, jumped down from the top of the tree. Away he ran, just as before, with the assassins always behind and never getting tired.
這點挫折並沒有讓強盜們退卻，反而更加激發了他倆的鬥志。他們找來些木頭，在松樹底下堆了起來，點著了火。眨眼的工夫，大樹開始噼啪作響，在陣陣風吹之下像蠟燭一樣燃燒起來。匹諾曹眼看著火焰越爬越高，越爬越高。他可不想以烤木偶的形式結束自己的一生，只好趕緊從樹頂跳下來，一溜煙地逃跑了。那倆強盜一直緊緊跟在他身後，好像永遠不知道累似的。
Meanwhile the day dawned and they found themselves on the edge of a large trench filled with dirty water, just the color of coffee and cream. What could they do? "One, two, three," said Pinocchio; and bending down and making a great spring, he landed safely on the other side. The assassins jumped also, but they did not take the right measure; and splash! They both fell into the trench. Pinocchio, who heard the plunge and the splash, cried out, "I hope you had a nice bath, Mr. Assassins!" and then began to run again. He thought that they were drowned; but looking back, he saw them running as before, the water dripping from their wet clothes as they followed him.
此時，天漸漸開始亮了。他們發現自己站在一個大溝渠邊，還滿是髒水，顏色渾濁得就像奶油和咖啡。他們該怎麼辦?"一、二、三，"匹諾曹喊著節拍;做了一個助跑的動作，然後猛地一跳，安全地降落在對岸。兩個刺客也學著跳，但他們沒有把握好距離;撲通!他們倆都掉進了溝裡。匹諾曹聽到他們落水和水花飛濺的聲音，放聲大叫:"強盜先生，好好洗個澡吧!"然後又開溜了。匹諾曹以為他們肯定淹死了;沒想到回頭一看，他們兩個還鍥而不捨地跟在他後面追，身上的衣服都溼透了，水珠不斷地往下滴。
單詞、短語應用
in case：以防萬一、如果
Take an umbrella, in case it rains. (帶把傘吧，以防下雨。)
In case I'm late, you eat without me. (如果我來晚了，你們就別等我先吃吧。)
in any case: 無論如何
In any case, I will have a try. (不管結果怎樣，我都要試一試。)
In any case, I'm going to the cinema with him. (無論如何，我要和他一起去看電影。)
in that case:那樣的話
He didn't want to talk to her. In that case why did you agree to meet her?
(他不想和她說話，既然那樣你為什麼還同意和她見面。)
turn to：求助於；翻到（某頁）；把（注意力等）轉向，開始思考。
Turn to the police for help when in trouble. (遇到困難向警察求助。)
Turn to page 45 and read the text. (把書翻到45頁讀課文。)
We turned our preparation to the practical matters relating to forming a company.
(我們現在開始準備有關成立公司的具體事宜。)
You turn now to your homework.
（你現在開始寫作業。）
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